<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Balanced by Iamsherlocked07</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26118652">Balanced</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamsherlocked07/pseuds/Iamsherlocked07'>Iamsherlocked07</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>The West Wing</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-26</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:53:55</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>520</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26118652</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Iamsherlocked07/pseuds/Iamsherlocked07</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A post ep fic set after 100,000 airplanes. CJ and Toby get their dance.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>C. J. Cregg/Toby Ziegler</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>10</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Balanced</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Toby is literally the cutest in this episode and I wanted him to have the dance he asks CJ for. Plus it was a good break from my usual angst fic. Lemme know what you think and thanks for all the encouragement!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>“CJ! dance with me!” He reached for her as she hurried to her office with the panelbacks. His skin tingling with the sensation of the effusive kisses she’d peppered to his face. Suddenly he wanted, needed more of her. He wanted to gather her in his arms and not let go. </p><p>The look of pride she’d given nearly brought him to his knees. All it took was a flash of her brilliant smile, her eyes shining, for him to be completely undone. </p><p>The bullpen was starting to empty, junior staffers heading home after a celebratory drink. Excited chatter around him. It was electrifying, to have a victory like this after all that had happened the past few months. He looked around, sobered with the knowledge that he could share all this with his best friends. He could make this happen for the man he revered above all else. And she’d been proud. </p><p>“I owe you a dance” he heard her lilt and looked for the source. She was leaning against her office door, a sly smile on her face. Without thinking or caring, he strode up to her confidently, his gaze holding hers. He snaked an arm around her waist, pulling her flush against him. She chuckled, somewhat breathless. He began humming softly, creating their own music. They swayed, one of her hands playing with the soft curls at the nape of his his, the other in his. </p><p>“Why, Mr. Ziegler,” she said coyly, “if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were quite the romantic this evening.” Toby’s eyes sparkled and his lips quirked. He twirled her playfully, vaguely aware of the knowing smile on Josh and Donna’s faces as they pretended not to watch the two of them from across the bullpen. </p><p>“Toby,” she started voice suddenly thick with emotion. It was all she could say for several moments. She brought her lips against his ear, speaking softly, “the speech was remarkable. No one could have written it the way you did.” He pulled her closer to him, possessively in the way he knew made her legs wobble. “I love you madly.” She finished. His entire body was buzzing with love and desire. </p><p>“Let’s get out of here,” he rumbled. She slowly broke the contact, gave him a wink and shouted, “Goodnight, Joshua.” </p><p>“Goodnight Claudia Jean. Get home safe.” He teased. She reached behind her, grabbing for Toby’s hand. They walked like that through the West Wing, collecting their briefcases and coats. Their affection went mostly unnoticed save for the senior staff who knew better and Ginger, Donna, and Carol who pretended not to. </p><p>CJ’s hand rested on his knee as they drove to her apartment fueled by success, passion, and perhaps a few too many drinks. They’d spend the weekend in each other’s arms, inseparable in their way. Gasping each other’s names in the dark. Arguing over policy, mostly for the charged sex that inevitably followed. He’d cook her dinner in soft sweaters and she’d wear his button down shirts. Their world would hang in perfect balance and they’d revel in it as long as they could.</p>
  </div></div>
</body>
</html>